Hoveton Little Broad
Encyclopedia
Hoveton Little Broad, also known as Black Horse Broad, is a secluded broad
of fairly open aspect, in the middle reaches of the River Bure
between Hoveton
and Horning
, Norfolk, in The Broads National Park. The broad is closer to Horning than to the village of Hoveton and lies adjacent to the hamlet of Horning Upper Street.
The broad is inaccessible by road; it is linked to the river by Black Horse Dyke. Another dyke (a narrow waterway) leads from a corner of the broad to the main Hoveton
-Horning
road B1354. Here formerly stood the Black Horse pub, which gave the broad its alternative name. A waterlogged footpath to the road was used by the Norfolk wherry
men as they made their way to the pub. Like Martham Broad
and Horsey Mere
, this broad is closed for navigation in the winter months, to enable the waterbirds to breed. There are no staithes on the shore of the broad for public mooring and no shore based facilities.
In the mid-20th century, Hoveton Little Broad played a role in the historical dispute between landowners and the public over rights of access to private broads. Since time immemorial
, all Broadland waters had been considered part of the King’s River and thus freely accessible to all. However, in the 19th century, several Norfolk landowners prevented access from the main river network to broads in their ownership, under the Inclosures Acts. Boatbuilder Herbert Woods led a public campaign against the landowners' action, culminating in the 'invasion of Black Horse Broad' in March 1949. Woods and 30 local men dismantled the barrier that the landowner had placed across Black Horse Dyke. This direct action resulted in an agreement with the broad's owner, who agreed to open the broad to the public each year between Easter and mid-September. However, this campaign did not lead to the re-opening of other closed broads.
One end of the broad is partially enclosed by projecting spits of land and known as Pound End Broad. It is a mixed coarse
fishery and is closed permanently to watercraft. A bird exclosure was built here in the mid 1990s to protect an area of marginal vegetation, preventing water plants being damaged by coots. Keeping the birds out of this area had the incidental effect of creating a fish refuge, heavily used by all the resident species of fish, numbers of which increased compared to fish in the main broad.
Broad
Broad may refer to:* Broad Group, a manufacturing company based in Changsha, global leader in producing absorption chillers* Broad , English gold coin minted under the Commonwealth with a bust of Oliver Cromwell on the obverse...
of fairly open aspect, in the middle reaches of the River Bure
River Bure
The River Bure is a river in the county of Norfolk, England, most of it in The Broads. The Bure rises near Melton Constable, upstream of Aylsham, which was the original head of navigation. Nowadays, the head of navigation is downstream at Coltishall Bridge...
between Hoveton
Hoveton
Hoveton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is located within the Norfolk Broads, and immediately across the River Bure from the village of Wroxham...
and Horning
Horning
Horning is an ancient village and parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of 11 km2 and had a population of 1,033 in the 2001 census. Horning parish lies on the northern bank of the River Bure south of the River Thurne and is located in the The Broads National Park...
, Norfolk, in The Broads National Park. The broad is closer to Horning than to the village of Hoveton and lies adjacent to the hamlet of Horning Upper Street.
The broad is inaccessible by road; it is linked to the river by Black Horse Dyke. Another dyke (a narrow waterway) leads from a corner of the broad to the main Hoveton
Hoveton
Hoveton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is located within the Norfolk Broads, and immediately across the River Bure from the village of Wroxham...
-Horning
Horning
Horning is an ancient village and parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of 11 km2 and had a population of 1,033 in the 2001 census. Horning parish lies on the northern bank of the River Bure south of the River Thurne and is located in the The Broads National Park...
road B1354. Here formerly stood the Black Horse pub, which gave the broad its alternative name. A waterlogged footpath to the road was used by the Norfolk wherry
Norfolk wherry
The Norfolk wherry is a type of boat on The Broads in Norfolk, England. Three main types were developed over its life, all featuring the distinctive gaff rig with a single, high-peaked sail and the mast stepped well forward.-Development of the wherry:...
men as they made their way to the pub. Like Martham Broad
Martham Broad
Martham Broad is a broad and National Nature Reserve on the River Thurne in the English county of Norfolk. The broad is located within The Broads National Park about 2 km north of the village of Martham....
and Horsey Mere
Horsey Mere
Horsey Mere is one of the Norfolk Broads in the east of England; it is one of the more northerly broads close to the North Sea coast.It is reached by Hickling Broad and the River Thurne. The nearest settlements are Horsey and West Somerton....
, this broad is closed for navigation in the winter months, to enable the waterbirds to breed. There are no staithes on the shore of the broad for public mooring and no shore based facilities.
In the mid-20th century, Hoveton Little Broad played a role in the historical dispute between landowners and the public over rights of access to private broads. Since time immemorial
Time immemorial
Time immemorial is a phrase meaning time extending beyond the reach of memory, record, or tradition, indefinitely ancient, "ancient beyond memory or record"...
, all Broadland waters had been considered part of the King’s River and thus freely accessible to all. However, in the 19th century, several Norfolk landowners prevented access from the main river network to broads in their ownership, under the Inclosures Acts. Boatbuilder Herbert Woods led a public campaign against the landowners' action, culminating in the 'invasion of Black Horse Broad' in March 1949. Woods and 30 local men dismantled the barrier that the landowner had placed across Black Horse Dyke. This direct action resulted in an agreement with the broad's owner, who agreed to open the broad to the public each year between Easter and mid-September. However, this campaign did not lead to the re-opening of other closed broads.
One end of the broad is partially enclosed by projecting spits of land and known as Pound End Broad. It is a mixed coarse
Coarse
Coarse may refer to:*Bosnian Coarse-Haired Hound, developed by 19th century Bosnian hunters as a scent hound.*Coarse bubble diffusers, produce 1/4 to 1/2 inch bubbles which rise rapidly from the floor of a wastewater treatment plant or sewage treatment plant tank.*Coarse fishing, an angling method,...
fishery and is closed permanently to watercraft. A bird exclosure was built here in the mid 1990s to protect an area of marginal vegetation, preventing water plants being damaged by coots. Keeping the birds out of this area had the incidental effect of creating a fish refuge, heavily used by all the resident species of fish, numbers of which increased compared to fish in the main broad.